Should Homebirths be Legal?

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Story?id=5340949&page=1

Should homebirth be legal? I mean, think of all the bad things that could happen? Babies could get sick or die, women could suffer serious postpartum hemorrage and possible death. Why should homebirth be legal when we have perfectly good facilities in every town to deliver babies in a quick and effecient fashion?

Oh, but I forgot to mention that in the same facilities, babies and women still die. The end result is not always good, even though this facility is teeming with experts.

The fact that the AMA is against homebirths shouldn't surprise anyone. They are losing money when people give birth at home. Plus,  every person who has a sucessful and happy homebirth talks to a pregnant mama and tickles her ear with her homebirth experience. Homebirth is gaining in popularity, and the AMA doesn't want to lose any more money. Add that to that fact that many women have traumatic birth experiences in hospital, and the AMA just can't stand to lose anymore ground.

The other side is that the medical field is established based upon expertise. People go to doctors, even ones they don't know or trust, because they are supposed to experts.. Afterall, the went to years of schooling, so they must know everything.  Women no longer have any birthing common sense, so we have to trust the doctors to do our thinking for us. Homebirth is going mainstream, and doctors are scared silly. THey are scared that women will realize that birthing is natural and can even be easy. They are scared that women will learn how to use their bodies again.

Why all this firestorm?  Because of one simple documentary called The Business of Being Born. A few months ago I linked to a place where you could watch it for free, but that site has been taken down. I encourage EVERY woman or man who is pregnant or will ever be pregnant to watch this video. Make the $20 investment and see this movie.

What really ticks me off about this proposed legislation is the belief that women shouldn't have the right to choose where to birth, because of the suspected danger to the child. However, we all have the right to kill that same child up until it is born and breathes. Where's the logic?

8:05 PM - Aug. 3, 2008 - post comment

Untitled Comment

Hey - saw you over on the tomatoes message board and had to check out your blog. I LOVED that documentary!!! Awesome stuff. If God ever allows us another blessing, I'd be all for a homebirth. Of course, I'd have been for one with the first two pg's but that's an entirely different story :) Nice to meet ya!

OldPathsMom - 10:29 PM - Aug. 5, 2008

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frustrating

It is completely hypocritical. You can have the "right" to abort (murder) but you don't have the right to give birth the way God created you? I get tired of legislatures telling me how to raise my children and give birth. They take a position of authority that isn't theirs.

momofsix - 8:33 PM - Aug. 6, 2008

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